Groundwork Magazine

Can children really have depression? Are they just moody and upset or do they have the toddler ‘blues’? Modern research has found there may in fact be a link between children and depression. It is, however, extremely difficult to differentiate between normal behavioral changes that come from age changes and a diagnosable depression disorder.

 

According to the World Health Organization, major depressive disorders are one of the leading disabilities among North American children ages 15 to 44. Approximately 11 per cent of adolescents have a depressive disorder by age 18 with girls at a higher chance of experiencing depression than boys. Prior to puberty, the likelihood of boys and girls experiencing depression is equal, but after the age of 14, the chances of a girl experiencing depression doubled compared to the other gender.

 

Beyond just adolescence and pre-teens, the amount of college and university students that need to be treated for anxiety and depression has increased substantially in the past decade according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). Modern students are reporting more feelings of stress and roughly 75 per cent of adults with anxiety experience their first attack at age 22.

 

Sean Menezes is a fourth year student studying Occupational Health at Ryerson University. As a child, Menezes was diagnosed with childhood depression.

 

“When I was about 11 or 12, I just remember being really upset and angry all the time. At school and at home,” he said.  “I stopped playing video games and playing sports. I just wasn’t interested in much.”

 

His parents noticed these changes in their son accompanied with sleeplessness, low energy and a lack of focus. They brought him to the family doctor who referred them to a child psychologist.

 

“I was diagnosed with mild depression, it wasn’t something really severe, so my parents wanted to take care of this in-house.” Menezes said. “We had more ‘family time’, we would watch more movies together, go out for dinner, we spent more time playing sports or board games. I guess it helped a bit because I received more attention.”

 

For many parents with children who have depression, promoting good health and spending quality time with their children can be enough to help ease the symptoms of depression.

 

By incorporating a good diet with adequate sleep and exercise, parents can greatly reduce the chances of a child experiencing depression according to the Canadian Mental Health Association. Keeping track of the amount of time children spend in front of electronic devices and partnering that with physical activity will not only promote a healthy lifestyle but also good social behavior.

 

Partaking in team sports or simply playing catch with mom and dad can build good behavior. This helps promote teamwork, social skills, etiquette and a healthy lifestyle. These skills will translate from the home, to school all the way up to adulthood and into the workforce.

 

But in Menezes’s case, things went a little differently.

 

“Spending time with my family and friends helped, but it was hanging out and working with my younger brother [Keith] that helped the most. Or at least, I think it did.” Menezes reminisces. “He started messing around with these toy robots, just tinkering with simple mechanics, and I started to join him.”

 

“Now, I’m not saying my brother and I weren’t close before but having a hobby that we both stuck to for hours helped me stay focused,” he added.

 

“He started to become interested again. He started by reading the manuals and asking questions, which was really annoying at first, but then he started to learn a couple of things,” Keith recalled. “We went from playing with Legos, to building Bionicles, to assembling Gundams and small bots [robots.]”

 

“I think just doing things with his hands and hanging out with the family helped him the most.” Keith said in a Skype interview. “I don’t think they [mom and dad] really wanted him full of medication.”

 

For some parents, over the counter prescription medicine may do the trick but in certain cases, holistic and natural methods may be better suited for both the child and the wallet.

 

Antidepressants are usually prescribed to patients with moderate to severe depression but with the abundance of antidepressants that are currently flooding the market, parents must research the right one for their child beyond just the consultation of their doctors.

According to the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments, antidepressants are designed to affect neurotransmitters in the brain to elucidate or eliminate certain feelings. These drugs can have varying side effects depending on other medication that the child may be on, other health factors and the child’s school or work schedule.

 

Thus, if parents choose to provide medication to their child to address their depression issues, parents must not only receive consultation from their family doctors or pediatricians but also cater to the specific needs and wants of their child.